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This month in the shop, we have gotten back on the 1969 Dodge Coronet with Mark, Kenny, Don, and Harlan replacing door skins, strengthen up some corners, and getting parts blasted and painted, with more to follow. I know the owner of the car is ready to see the final outcome as this was his father car.

Big Barb, 1939 Packard V-12, has had her primer stripped off and the old wooden taken out. Mark has use the old wood flooring as a template to make the new wood flooring which will look nice once it is all done.

Black Betty, 1937 Chrysler Imperial, is getting closer everyday to getting her nice shiny black coat on and her blood red interior. We shooting for all this to be done around Christmas time.

At the end of September, the red 1937 Chrysler Imperial and 1954 Buick Roadmaster went to the Atlanta Concours d’Elegance and they both got first in their class.

With Hershey going on, Mark and Harlan took an adventure up to Hershey, PA to go on a hunt for Chrysler and Packard parts. So far they have gotten successful with most parts.

Hello everybody and sorry for the huge gap between posts. A lot has went on at Graveyard Run Restorations since my last post in May of 2017. The Red 1937 Chrysler Imperial and the 1954 Buick Roadmaster have been on a nice journey for their first year of car shows.

The Imperial and the Buick experience their first show at the Keeneland Concours d’Elegance and gain their very first award there. The Imperial and the Buick both got first place in their class, Vintage 1925-1949 & Collector and American 1947-75 Closed. After Keeneland Concours, both cars went onto the Concours d’Elegance of America but only the Imperial place with the Lions Award in the American Popular class.

The next two stops of the year for the Imperial and the Buick was the Franklin, TN AACA show and the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance. The Imperial got first in class and best of show along with the Buick getting third in class at the at Franklin, TN. During the Hilton Head Island Concours the Imperial got best in its class in the Classics 1932 – 1948 and the Buick got Palmetto Award in the Production Modern – American 1950- 1959. The Imperial also got a chance to display itself with a plane of the same decade during the fancy and flight show at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance.

We then start the 2018 year off by taking the Imperial and Buick to a couple of AACA National Meets. The first show was at Charlotte, SC were the both cars receive their AACA First Junior Award and then went onto Auburn, IN getting their AACA First Senior Award. Our next stop for the year of 2018 is the Atlanta Concours d’Elegance and hopefully going into 2019 enter the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

Not only has Graveyard Run been busy with car shows, but we have attain more work this past year. With work coming in we eventually hired in Kenny and Don. Both these guys come to us with MOPAR expertise and decades of mechanically experience as well as the love for older cars.

With the Buick and one of the Chrysler completely restore, we have more time for our second 1937 Chrysler along with 1939 Packard V-12 Club Sedan, the 1952 MG,, and 1969 Coronet. We have also this year have been able to fit in few small maintenance jobs in shop for a 1928 Chrysler Touring Sedan, 1971 Duster, 1971 Mustang, and 1955 Buick Convertible.

If you are interest in see some our progress in the shop you can always visit our youTube channel and stay tune for my next post in September.

Keeneland Concours d’Elegance

AACA show in Franklin, TN

Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance

AACA show in Charlotte, SC – Both cars got their Junior Award

AACA Show in Auburn, IN – Both cars got their Senior Award

The Seybold family would like to cordially invite you to attend an open house at our A.A.C.A. and Concours D’Elegance level Antique Auto Restoration Facility on May 19th 2018! We are located in Cannon County, 8 miles south of Woodbury, just off of Hwy. 53 South. You will have the chance to see some of our finished cars, and some of our current projects, as well as meet our crew and have the opportunity to ask questions about our services and restoration processes. So bring your classic ride, a folding chair and join us for a tour of the shop followed by a lunch of grilled hot dogs, sides, drinks, and desserts on May 19th! We look forward to seeing you!

Graveyard Run Restorations – 5/22/17

“If you don’t look back at your car after you park it, you own the wrong car”

-Unknown-

The deteriorated wood in the bed of the 1957 Dodge D100 was removed this past week. Harlan has it prepared for the new wood. More electrical gremlins were discovered under her dash and solved accordingly by Greg, our in-house master electrician. The D100 got a new ignition switch and now has fully functioning running lights and turn signals! Attention is now focused on the fuel system and also the search for a patina’d original front bumper and new front axle.

Also last week the Graveyard Run crew put in some time to get our sign ready to be put up at the end of Geedsville Rd. It”s a massive, 3-D art deco patina’d red arrow, you can’t miss it!

The 1937 Chrysler Imperial is nearing completion; this week her exceedingly rare original airbox and wire loom were painted, the engine side panels were wet sanded and buffed. Under the dash, Greg mounted and plumbed the accessory heater and installed the re-worked original radio!

Graveyard Run Restorations – 5/15/17

Last week we brought in a 1957 Dodge D-100 step side pickup truck from our neighbor in Kentucky. The work that will be done on her is some electrical, mechanical, and a nice patina paint job. For now Greg is tackling the electrical issues which have been coming along really smooth.

The freshly rebuilt A/C Filter-drier unit arrived for Madam Maybelle, the 1954 Buick Roadmaster. This week we will install the drier and run and inspect the system.

Harlan finished up the 1970 Plymouth Duster by adding her stripe to the quarter panel, and she’s now back to looking as nice and clean as before.

Graveyard Run Restorations – 5/8/17

This past week at GYR Greg has soldered all the necessary leads and meticulously routed all the wiring to the taillight lamps, turn signals, brake light lamps and the distinctly housed license plate lamp. The 1937 Imperial now has beautifully functioning running lights! We also managed to fit the cowl/hood lacing (after locating the correct diameter spun-nails) and fit the driver and passenger door stainless trim pieces. The unobtainable “Spitfire” wiring loom that magically appeared for us was gently glass bead blasted and put in primer. After massaging the center canister of the original oil-bath air cleaner we were able to finalize the bodywork on the two remaining under-hood items and next week we will see them painted in high gloss black.

Graveyard Run Restorations 4-28-17

Things are moving a little slower this month at Graveyard Run Restorations due to Mark’s recovery from neck surgery. There hasn’t been much excitement to write about, so I have also been making some changes to the website as well which takes up a lot of time.

Harlan kept busy repairing the quarter on the Sassy Grass Green ’70 Duster, a beautiful example of Mopar muscle that suffered some paint damage when someone’s lead additive was spilled onto the quarter and left in the heat of an enclosed trailer.

Final assembly and component testing continues on Mary, the Red Imperial. We will be test driving her very soon and shortly thereafter debut at her first Concours show in Kentucky.

Graveyard Run Restorations 4-14-17

The past two weeks at Graveyard Run Restorations have been a little more relaxing since Mary, the red Imperial , and Madam Maybelle, the Buick Roadmaster got into Keeneland Concours d’Elegance and Concours d’Elegance of America. Again, the owners of the cars and the GYR crew are extremely happy that both cars will be featured in each show.

Even though Mary is very near her completion, there is always the process of final assembly and driveability testing. Greg has been the hero tackling all the electrical work at a grueling pace to get her fully functional for delivery. Also this week, Greg came across some exceedingly rare parts, pictured below, that will certainly help Mary cause a stir at the Concours shows. Locating some of these parts for the Imperial has been a challenge and we have been really lucky after scouring the Earth for what was needed.

Also, last week we recieved the build history on the beige Chrysler Imperial, Betty as I’ve been calling her. We were very excited to find that the original exterior color is black and that the interior is the Oxblood Red, just like Mary’s interior. From one 1937 Imperial to the next, we are all anxious to give Betty the attention she deserves.

Out in the shop this month Charlie has made some major accomplishments on the 1931 Hudson, when he was not occupied the Imperial’s shrinking list of needs. Charlie was able to plumb the fuel and brake systems, and install the dash (now with beautifully refurbished gauges,pictured below), and also put the quarter and rear windows in.

Graveyard Run Restorations 3-27-17

BIG NEWS for Graveyard Run Restorations!!!!! Mary, the red Imperial, has been accepted into the Keeneland Concours and Concours D’Elegance of America. Mark, Charlie, Greg and Harlan put in some major crunch time to get Mary through final assembly and she is stunning. Thanks to DMS3TV; the photos of the car are beautiful. Also, big thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Davenport in Woodbury, TN for access to their lovely hideaway for the photo shoot.

Graveyard Run Restorations 3-17-17

The reason so many people never get anywhere in life is because when opportunity knocks, they are out in the backyard looking for four-leaf clovers.

-Walter Chrysler-

HAPPY ST. PATRICK DAY to everyone!!!!!

This week at Graveyard Run Restorations we have been under some crunch time in the shop on Mary, red imperial, to get her ready for her glamour shots. We mounted the front and rear fenders along with the leather welts, which turned out really nice. We also added the running boards and mats to the car and the stainless looks really sweet on the mat. In the paint booth, Mark has being buffing on the hood to give it that “flat as glass” sheen. Harlan, Greg, and Charlie are fitting the glass into it is frame and getting it ready to put in the windshield. Some intense stuff!!!!!

Graveyard Run Restorations 3-14-17

“I think, aesthetically, car design is so interesting – the dashboards, the steering wheels, and the beauty of the mechanics. I don’t know how any of it works, I don’t want to know, but it’s inspirational.”

-Paloma Picasso-

Last week at Graveyard Run Restorations, Mark and Harlan went to Ohio and got Mary, red Imperial, from Sharp’s Upholstery Shop and she is looking sweet. While the car was at Sharp’s they did all the interior, door panels, arm rests, the rumble seat, and the elegant convertible top, pictures below. Mark finished and installed the grille, picture below, last week and it looks amazing! I can’t wait to see the whole car assembled!

On the beige Imperial, Greg and Charlie continued disassembly, painstakingly organizing all her parts and pieces, labeling everything in great detail and getting the “needs list” together for the car. Deja vu!

Graveyard Run Restorations3-3-17

Hey everyone and welcome to Graveyard Run Restorations. We are currently working on two 1937 Chrysler Imperial C-14 Convertible Coupes and a 1931 Hudson Club Sedan, pictured below for you to see. Also, we have just completed a 1954 Buick Roadmaster “Madam Maybelle” and she has been accepted to show at the 2017 Keeneland Concours d’Elegance.

Here at Graveyard Run Restorations we have Mark, the owner and shop Manager. Alongside Mark we have Greg and Harlan who work just as hard as Mark at restoring each car. Also in our shop, we have Charlie who came to us with his impressive knowledge of older Pontiacs and was an asset in many ways during the restoration of the 70 Grand Prix. In the office there is me, Rachel, and Jen who maintains all the paper work and the website. Also in the office is Bobbie, she is our shop cat.

Now for the cars; the guys are currently working on the red Imperial, or Mary, as I call her. Mark, Harlan, and Greg have been working on the grille for the past two weeks, while she is at Sharp’s Upholstery Shop having the interior stitched and the convertible top installed. The grille has been a very tedious process; Mark sandblasted the grille shell and then sanded in between every little nook and cranny by hand. As far as the stainless on the grille, the guys have had to carefully take each piece off and sand and wet sand each one with several different grits to get them looking good. After the grille shell and stainless were done Mark began to polish each stainless piece and carefully fit them to the grille with help from the guys.

With the beige Imperial Mark and Harlan drove to PA to get another frame for the car, since its original frame was bent and twisted beyond repair. Greg is now in the beginning stages of tearing her down, and ending the week with whole front clip ready for restoration.

Also in the shop is Charlie. He is restoring a 1931 Hudson Club Sedan when time allows him too. He’s a terrific person to get opinions and suggestions from when it comes to vehicles of this vintage since he was driving them when they were new. 🙂